"We needed to continue emphasizing climbing" - Red Bull - BORA stand by decision to not have Remco Evenepoel race before the Tour de France

The Tour de France is fast approaching and its main contenders are taking considerably different preparations towards the race. Remco Evenepoel's is perhaps the most conservative, without any race days, something the team is fully behind so as for him to reach his best level this July.

Over the past two years, Evenepoel raced the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, both times at a lower climbing level then his best, but with very different outcomes at the Tour. This year however, that initial plan was scraped, and the eight difficult race days (besides the many tapering and recovering days) were removed from his plans.

It is part of a fatigue-management plan, as explained by one of his closest members in the team. "That long block of competition took its toll. 25 days isn't an extreme amount, but it was mainly about the way he approached it. Remco raced consistently at a very high level," team DS Klaas Lodewyck said in words to Het Laatste Nieuws.

Evenepoel's spring was one of high intensity, starting early on in Mallorca with a few victories and a TTT which acted as preparation towards the Tour; an overall win in Valencia; a disappointment at the UAE Tour; a domestique role and a crash at Catalunya; a surprise debut and podium and the Tour of Flanders; and of course the Ardennes classics that followed.

"In the week after his victory in the Amstel Gold Race, you could already tell that he was trying to recover a bit and wanted to take things easier. The mental sharpness was still there, but it was countered by the accumulating physical fatigue".

In the end Evenepoel had pressure on his shoulders throughout his first spring at Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe. He did deliver results, but at Liège-Bastogne-Liège he was nowhere near the level of Tadej Pogacar and Paul Seixas on the climbs.

"He salvaged that third place in Liège purely through perseverance and resilience. Hats off to him. Because he could just as easily have let it slide. And ended up with nothing at all".

But his level at UAE, Catalunya and Liège showed a harsh reality - his climbing level would probably not even allow him to fight for the podium at the Tour. Hence, the full focus became on the climbing aspect of his training, as well as shedding weight.

The German team has explained that they looked for an environment that is as controlled as possible, with as little variables added into the mix for Evenepoel. Auvergne, with eight race days, potential for crashes and illnesses, and much more, was not the best option as it was decided.

"We all took a few figurative steps back and asked ourselves the question 'ok, how can we get him to the Tour start in Barcelona on Saturday, July 4, in the best possible shape?' Various options were put on the table and weighed up: what could work and what couldn't".

Not racing was seen as the best one. Lodewyck previously guided Evenepoel in his successful Grand Tour stints, and so he has confidence in this build-up.

"Such an approach isn't new to him either. Remember his Vuelta victory in 2022. Back then, too, he barely saw any action in the nearly two months leading up to it.".

Altitude training and focus on the longer efforts is what Evenepoel has been prioritizing since the month of May, and this will continue all the way into the Grand Depart on the 4th of July, set to take place in Barcelona.

The team has no doubts on his program: "But personally, I am convinced that he will not come out of this worse than he would have from a program that does include competition. The Vuelta a Catalunya made it clear that we needed to continue emphasizing climbing. Well, we are taking the time for that".

Healthy and away from the spotlight, the feedback on the Olympic champion's progression can only be assumed as positive, Lodewyck assures: "The training sessions he completed in weeks two and three already gave excellent signals. Remco left the camp feeling better than when he started. And that was ultimately the goal".

"His condition is the most important thing. If that is good, you can usually handle quite a lot. In terms of [stage]reconnaissance, we are seeing exactly what is compatible. But from now on, we want to dedicate every day to perfect training and perfect recovery. And see how far we can get against the competition with that. We believe in it".